Now for the "great" stuff about the camera. The only reason you should look at this camera is if you want a small, point and click camera. If you want a camera with many buttons and settings to adjust to get the perfect shot, this is not your camera. The menus are easy to follow. Dont use the usb cable to send the pictures to your PC. Buy a card reader. I went to a camera store and they said there is a possibility of the camera getting fried. For the money it is worth it. I dont use the video feature. If I want videos I will buy a video camera. I bought a 128 meg SD card. I took about 500 picture at Disney and they all fit on the same card. I used the second resolution setting. With a 128 MB card I could have taken 999 pictures. I used to be conservative taking pictures. I didnt want to waste film. With this camera I take pictures of everything. If I dont like it, I delete it. I got a good deal on the price of this camera. For the money, this camera is worth it.

There are some niggles that make this camera less than perfect. The one that bothers me the most is the fact that image labels start from 1 whenever you move the previous photos out of memory. So you take a bunch of pictures, pic00001.jpg, pic00002.jpg, etc., you move these to your computer and delete from your camera, and when you take more images they start again, labelling them pic00001.jpg, etc. Its not a big deal to store sets of images in different directories, but it is a headache if you are trying to make a calendar or otherwise bring in images from different directories together.

All in all Im happy with this camera, but wish they had thought through a few more aspects of their design.

I returned mine for a refund for the following reasons.

1)The battery doesnt last long, so you gave to buy another one, cannot use AA if in a pinch.

2)Indoor photos are washed out by extremely powerful flash. And it always uses the flash, even in not so low light situations.

3) Extremely slow at writing the photo to the SD memory. (about 5 seconds)(this is without flash)

4) Buttons are poorly layed out, and menu system not thought out well.

5) Movie mode records in MOV format!! forcing you to use quicktime!

I returned this camera and got a SONY P72. ...

CONs:
- Takes a while to switch from one shooting mode to another (ex: from single shot to movie mode). It is a lot easier on the sony DSC series cameras.

- I have gotten use to the small size and learned quickly to becareful about not covering the lens with my finger. However, when someone else is taking a picture for me, most of the time their finger blocks a portion of the lens.

- You cant preview anything if youre taking a picture in low light conditions. I like how some Sonys shine an orange light before you take the shot so you see what youre taking.

- Menu isnt hard to learn but isnt the most efficient style Ive seen.

Now for the PROs:

- I really really like the design of Dimage X. Very modern and unique and just plain cool.

- Very small in size and light weight. Everywhere I go its always in my pocket.

- Amazingly good zoom (3x optical) for such a small camera. And plus the internal zoom design allows the small camera to stay small all the time.

- The battery life is very good. I always have the LCD screen on when I use the camera and I havent had the battery run out on me.

- Movie mode records images as well as sound. Also theres a speaker for you to preview the movie with sound.

- Theres a motorized metal lens cover that protects your lens. Its really fun to watch the lens cover go down to reveal the lens when you turn the camera on and also when it goes back up when you turn it off. (Youll see what Im talking about after you get the camera)

- Image quality in my opinion is more than enough for my needs. I mainly use the pictures for internet use and occasionally print out the pictures on photo paper. 2.11 mega pixels is more than enough if those are your intentions also.

- The camera powers up and is ready to take a picture almost immediately after you turn it on. This is a plus for a camera youre always carrying around.

- Theres not a big lag between taking shots, compared to the Canon s200.

Im sure theres plenty more Pros but Im still learning about the camera. The camera always turns curious heads every time I take it out. So besides the cons I mentioned above, which really arent too big of a deal, this is the perfect camera for me.

Thanks....

The good:
-(which is also the bad)
The lightweight made it easy carry but also easy to make a
hand-shake picture with just a little movement.
-fast charge battery (like an hour for full charge)

Well overall its cool design doesnt make me stop using it

Im also happy with the rechargeable battery life. The package I bought came with two batteries and charger - very nice to have an extra battery handy (theyre so small)!

People are always amazed by its size when I pull it out of my pocket to take a picture! The 3x zoom really helps in composing the picture.

I put a 128 MB Secure Digital Card in it and at normal quality - (about 500k jpeg file size) Ive got about 250 picture capacity!! If I dont do any movie shots, which are also very good - my whole vacation can be on one card before I have to download!

5 x 7 prints are photo quality - I was impressed. I havent tried it but the best quality mode stores as a TIFF file (about 8MB in size!).

Two things to Ive learned:

1 - Due to its small size its easy to get your fingers in front of the lens or flash - but youll quickly learn how best to hold it.

2 - The flash is located to the side of the lens so I turn the camera to put the flash above the lens to avoid background edge shadows when the subject is several feet in front of a wall or backdrop.

I just noticed theyve come out with a 3 Megapixel version in the same package if you feel you must have more resolution.

THE BAD:
The software that came with this camera was a waste of programmers hours to develop. Better off using windows PAINT, and if your lucky and have XP, better to create a Pictures folder and maintain the photos there. Not much ability with the software that came with it. Its not pretty to use, and doesnt give you much editing ability. If you already have Photoshop or MS Draw, or any decent photo editing software, then you are good to go.

It was also hard to take pictures using the LCD in the dark. For obvious reasons - the screen was pitch black. You would need to take the picture first, and then preview it in the LCD to see if you got the person or have to retake it. But you can shut off the LCD feature and use the viewfinder to take ur nite shots.

THE UGLY:
The ugly is the price. I paid around [$$$] for the camera in April 2002, then bought a matching clip on carrying case for another [$$$], then a 2nd battery for it for another [$$$] (which I lost and had to buy yet ANOTHER battery), plus I bought a 128MB SD memory card for [$$$] cause 8MB wasnt cutting it (now I can put almost 2000 pictures on the card in standard mode)...so bottom line, the camera with a few accessories ended up being around $500. But that is still not too bad for this camera, and the price has DEFINITELY dropped since April, you can probably get it for around [$$$] if you look hard enough.

The JUDGEMENT:
This camera overall ROCKS! for being someones first digital camera. The price has gone down, it is VERY much a fasionable item for guys and girls, GUARANTEED to be approached by someone to ask about it or hear side comments like "wow that is a awesome camera"...
The quality is great for being 2.11MB, which is plenty for a first timer. It is VERY easy to use...high BUY recommendation!

You dont appreciate how small this thing is until you sit it next to any other real digital camera on the market. I have two Olympus models, a C-2040Z and a Brio D-150. I thought the D-150 was small, but the Dimage X makes it seem huge in comparison. It even makes the Canon ELPHs seem porky.

This camera is easy to use with simple menus and intuitive controls. I had it all figured it out in just a few minutes without looking at the manual. If you have Windows 2000, ME or XP, you just plug it into your USB port and it pops up on "My Computer"--no software drivers required.

Its very quick to turn on (no lens to extend) and is reasonably quick at taking pictures depending on the image size/quality and if youre using the flash. The flash can take about 6 seconds to recycle but thats typical. It has a "multiple shot" mode as well.

Commonly used controls like the flash mode, display on/off and exposure correction are accessible directly without using the menus. There are only 4 menus and theyre really easy to navigate. You can choose from 3 image sizes and 4 quality levels including an uncompressed TIFF mode.

Battery life seems AMAZINGLY good given that the battery is literally the size of some postage stamps! I ran around for over an hour with the display on taking tons of pics, downloading them, messing with the menus, etc. before it gave me a low battery warning. The reviews say you can leave it on all day with the display off and take several hundred pictures all on one charge.

The case is nearly all stainless steel. It should stand up to a fair amount of use/abuse. The lens is covered by a sliding motorized door when its off. There should be less to break/go wrong compared to cameras that have to extend the lens every time you turn them on.

BAD THINGS:

My biggest gripe is the picture quality. Other [more expensive] two megapixel cameras are significantly better. My Olympus C-2040Z takes sharper pictures with fewer artifacts under any conditions and completely blows the Minolta away in low light. With a much bigger (conventional) lens, however, thats to be expected.

The Dimage X images are a bit "soft"--especially in the corners and edges. You dont really notice it on most casual shots, but if theres fine detail in the corners and along the edges, its a bit fuzzy.

Perhaps more annoying, there are "chromatic artifacts" visible in many pictures. These seem to be worse at the wide angle end of the zoom range. You get either a red, yellow or blue band next to sharp high contrast lines. This is likely due to the prism used to "fold" the lens and from keeping the weird lens design so small. Its part of the price you have to pay (at least right now) for a camera this compact. There are reviews on the net that have samples pictures that show this flaw quite clearly. ...

The lens has a smaller maximum aperture than many comparable lenses on bigger cameras so it forces the Dimage X to use slower shutter speeds to make up for it. This means camera shake is more of a problem in lower light. It also means it cant focus as well in low light and the LCD viewfinder doesnt work as well either.

The charger is a standalone unit and while fairly small, requires a plug in cord. Its just one more thing to travel with. You have to take the battery out of the camera to charge it.

Theres no manual focus mode (there is a focus lock where you can focus on something else, hold the shutter button part way down, and then take the picture). In really low light, like most digital cams, it cant focus at all--at least it defaults to 6 feet.

The LCD display washes out more than some do in bright outdoor light. At least they give you a shortcut to the menu to adjust the brightness. You also have to push a button twice every time you turn on the camera if you want to turn the display off to greatly extend the battery life.

The flash is kind of weak (or the small lens is hurting it) as the flash is only good to about 8 - 10 feet or so and even then the edges are darker at the wide angle zoom setting.

Theres no manual white balance, just presets. So if youre in tricky lighting, youre stuck. The auto setting also tends to be on the warm side under most conditions. This isnt a huge deal as you can always tweak the color later on your PC.

OTHER STUFF:

Extra batteries are still hard to find, ... . Youll want one. ...you might want to buy a cheap card reader instead [of an AC adapter]. MMC/SD cards are more expensive than SmartMedia and CF, but they make sense for this camera because theyre much smaller. I doubt Minolta could have found room for the older flash cards. Besides, MMC/SD will keep dropping in price Im sure--theyre the newest technology right now. There is a note in the manual that MMC cards take longer to store pictures than SD (which is due to the card design).

CONCLUSION:

Its not perfect, but its currently in a class by itself. The Canon ELPHs take slightly better pictures but are significantly bigger. If this is going to be your ONLY (or your best) digital camera, you hopefully put a much higher priority on size/portability rather than image quality and elaborate features. If its going to be a second camera for more casual use, its an excellent choice. I take this camera places Id never take my C-2040 or even the D-150 Brio. What good is a nice camera if it always stays home?

Im sure other manufactures will follow with their own ultra compact digital models. Minolta will improve on this one as well. But as a first effort, its pretty amazing.

If image quality is a big priority, Id look at the cheaper Olympus C-2040Z or Canon A20. If you want something thats small with slightly better quality than the Dimage X, consider a Canon ELPH. If small/light/easy are big priorities, the Dimage X may be well worth buying.

I havent purchased this camera; I considered it strongly until I saw sample images on several camera review sites. On every single one, it goes completely soft in the corners of every shot. Its a limitation of the lens, and once you see it you always see it. I found myself vowing to deal with the greater bulk of my Canon S30 and coming home with pictures worth saving.

And for those who say its a great "party camera" -- look, either a pictures worth taking or it isnt...and if its worth taking, dont take a blurry one!

Here are my thoughts.

Pros
-Small
-Looks cool

-Great Movie mode(35 secs with sound)
-Good zoom
-Decent price for the size
-Battery is pretty good, I took 100 pictures at Fine Quality before it died

Cons
-PICTURE QUALITY is worse than a k-mart no name brand throw away. Almost every picture I took indoors has a yellow tint. People will talk auto white balance with you, listen, they are YELLOW. The pictures are not sharp, as you would expect from a digital camera.
-The viewfinder is below par. You look through the viewfinder, think its centered and after you take the picture its completely off. Im 24, my hands dont shake when I take a picture, something is wrong with the viewfinder quality.
-The picture program that comes with it is virtually useless.

My advice, Im Im being completely serious- Dont get fooled by the great looks. The bottom line is how the picture looks. Maybe the newer version will be better (Dimage Xi)... but my friend has the Fuji 2600 which sells for a lot cheaper, might be bigger, but the picture quality is crisp and digital worthy.

in favor:
a. size size size though its also easier to lose...
b. battery life is long and charge time is fast
c. takes good photos in low light
d. easy to use menu
e. screen tells you how many photos left, how many youve taken
f. fast download though you need a usb connection
g. tough case
h. I enjoy using it and have got some good photos. sometimes need to do enhancements to bring it up to scratch

This camera is pretty much plug and play. I had to read a few of the instructions to understand some of the things, but it seems really straight forward. Do not use the top setting. It is a waste of space. It is the same data as the Fine setting, just Uncompressed. The pictures 4X6 come out looking exactly the same. But you can fit only 28 pictures on a 128 card, instead of 130 pictures at the Fine setting.

As soon as you buy this Camera, go on line and do a search for a 256MB Secure Digital (SD) Card. It costs about [price]. Its the best card out there for the money, and you will not find the 256MB in stores. You can find a 512 card on line, but it is
[price]. Thats just as expensive as the camera! The camera comes with an 8MB card. You can take 3 pictures with this thing, then its full, get a bigger card. You WILL want it.

The ONE flaw with this camera, and this REALLY bothers me, is the stupid Battery light. Whoever designed this thing, should be forced to use a bad universal remote, for the rest of their life! Most battery levels, have a picture of a battery, that is broken into sections, and each section disappears as the battery runs out of life. Easy to understand, right? This camera has a battery symbol, that is white when full, then light gray when half full, then Red when you have 5 minutes left. I challenge anyone to tell the difference between White, and light gray on a battery symbol that small.

Buy an extra battery. You WILL need it. And buy the nice pouch, it has a pocket for the extra battery in it. I love this camera. I hate the battery symbol.

Good thing is.... The battery can charge fully in about 45 minutes. Thats fast.
The camera comes with a Battery Charger, USB cable, Software for viewing the pictures on your computer, a Lithium battery, and an 8MB card.

You need to buy a case, another battery (If you use it all day), and a much larger Memory Card (nothing less then 128MB). They sell an AC adapter, but its really not needed. It just seems like more wires to worry about.

The camera is not really point-and-shoot. It focuses first, then shoots.
Hope this helps.

It is fast... Fastest RISC processor avail. to date: 9-17-02
Uses a sony CCD so the quality of the pictures is pretty good. I recommend getting another battery. Pretty cheap $ since it lasts 2.5-3hrs on LCD continuous use and only takes 1 hour to charge. Up the SD/MMC card though. It worked good with 128MB. Not so great zoom but adequete. I also suggest getting a $ case to protect the LCD screen, and buttons. It is perfect for a woman (for whom I bought it for) but I prefer the SLR types that I can attach lenses and external flases on my Epson 3100z.

In short it is always available because it is fast, small, and quality is pretty good. Kind of steep price compared to the comprable Nikkon, Kodak, Olympus, etc... but Minolta did a fine job here. Not everybody has this camera and not many review it but the reviews have been great and I must agree (if you have the extra money).

Regarding the camera I am really satisfied with it. It is not only slim, quick and reliable, but ultra-cool and trendy (and takes good pictures too :-). You just need an extra battery, and at least a 64 MB SD Card. A case is also an option if you dont want to carry it in your pocket. It is definetely a GO!

I needed a camera that was small enough for me to take anywhere in my pocket. This one is great for that purpose. Pictures quality is more than adequate, and with a purchase of a 64MB memory card, I can take over 120 pictures at the highest resolution 1600X1200. Menu is intuitive, transferring images can be done with ease, even for the not-so-tech-savvy. The zoom is pretty good too. Battery is Li-Ion, lasts for pretty long time. LCD is bright and clear, if a bit small, but what do you expect from a camera that was the smallest 2MP camera available when it was released? Some may complain about how much control they have over the how the photo is taken (ie, light, focus, etc.)

In short, great camera for take anywhere, do-almost-everything photography. Perfect for family outings and friendly gatherings.

For those of you want higher resolution but the same portability, the new Dimage Xi has 3MPixels!

- There seems to be lacking a manual focus to "infinity" for taking pictures out of a window (not that it happens alot, but...). Maybe there is, but I cant find it.
- I would like a little more "sharpness." (All current digital cameras suffers from a lack of sharpness, even the 3 MP cameras...it could be JPG-related because I havent really seen any digital camera that gives sharp pics without software processing.)
- Because its so small its easy to move while pressing the button (if youre loaded with caffeine!) thereby further decreasing the sharpness.
- The software is "powerful" but it requires time to learn how to use it properly.
- Battery is propriety and Im not sure how long it REALLY lasts and it does seem to use alot of power (LCD display, navigating the menu, downloading pics, playing with the 3x zoom lens). Eventually, youll want to buy another battery/charger as backup. You should also get a memory card reader when its offered free (with rebate) and save on the power wasted on downloading pics to PC. (Heck! get 2--keep one in the office. Your PDA could use it also.)

THE PROS:

- Its small and flat (fits in shirt pocket) and handy to carry around wherever. More photo-ops.
- Its sturdy and looks cool.
- It has a "superfine" TIF mode (no loss...supposedly).
- 3x optical zoom is cool.
- The automatic lens protector looks and sounds cool when it opens/closes--like a James Bond gadget.
- Battery charges in 80 minutes.

VERDICT:

Kind of pricey compared with the recent price drops in the 3MP cameras, but chances are you wont like carrying those cameras around. The Dimage Xs a decent "general purpose" camera you would LIKE to carry around and which can also be used for serious picture taking (in TIF mode). (Many of those other cameras dont have a TIF mode--just a higher JPG mode.) Its more than just a novelty. Good enough until next spring when the NEXT GENERATION cameras (with CMOS technology) are out.

*You cannot set the flash to be off by default.*

Once you turn the camera off, it defaults back to auto flash mode. Personally I only ever use the flash every once in a while and this is so annoying. I Prefer somewhat dark photos over those harsh flash lit ones every time. So the "ultra fast start up" that Minolta touts becomes moot if you have to click 3 or more times just to get the flash not to go off.

Also, the menu interface, like all digital cameras for some reason, is badly designed, requiring two hands to operate. Often it is not clear what you have selected because, for example, if you have only two choices and your selection only changes colour it is unclear which colour represents selected Does the grey mean its selected or does the pink?

Having said that, its very very small and takes good photos.

One of the most important feature to me was size, I wanted something I could carry around. This covered it, it is small, wow is it small and light. Its slender body fits into my pocket and I forget it is there. As a result I shoot more pics. The other nice feature is the quick worm up time of about a sec. Cameras I have had in the past I missed shots because they were booting up. This camera has a exceptional exposure control in low light, it is hard to take a bad picture.

Now for the down side. The picture quality is OK. I find it a bit smooth and not crisp enough for my taste, but nothing photoshop cant fix. I miss a volume control on the shutter it is either on or off and there are no shortcuts to the menu items to quickly toggle features or delete frames. The view window on the back is fixed and a bit small and dark sometimes, mostly in low light. Also when shooting movies the mic is on the top of the camera rather than the front so if you are in a busy room it pics up everything else as loud as the people you trying to shoot.

Over all for the size it is awesome. I would call it a excellent party, snapshot type camera. If I lost it I would go out and buy another one without hesitastion.

First, I have found that I mostly use pictures on the web now. I travel and post to MSN communities to share with my family. After using a Nikon 3.3 MB camera I found that to be overkill. I just dont make prints that much anymore, and I seldom go higher than 4 by 6. Frankly, 1600 by 1200 is just fine for what I do, and give me the flexibility to print when I need too.

So I get the camera. It really makes it easy to travel. Small battery, small memory card, easy to hook up to the computer via USB and transfer pictures. Picture quality is very good for what I do. Camera is very fast in taking and moving the pictures to memory. Not much different than a film camera except with the ease of digital.

This is a great travel camera. You will actually use it and it works perfectly with the new digital world. Dont know about printing, but, you know, I just dont print pictures anymore.

One of the most important feature to me was size, I wanted something I could carry around. This covered it, it is small, wow is it small and light. Its slender body fits into my pocket and I forget it is there. As a result I shoot more pics. The other nice feature is the quick worm up time of about a sec. Cameras I have had in the past I missed shots because they were booting up. This camera has a exceptional exposure control in low light, it is hard to take a bad picture.

Now for the down side. The picture quality is OK. I find it a bit smooth and not crisp enough for my taste, but nothing photoshop cant fix. I miss a volume control on the shutter it is either on or off and there are no shortcuts to the menu items to quickly toggle features or delete frames. The view window on the back is fixed and a bit small and dark sometimes, mostly in low light. Also when shooting movies the mic is on the top of the camera rather than the front so if you are in a busy room it pics up everything else as loud as the people you trying to shoot.

Over all for the size it is awesome. I would call it a excellent party, snapshot type camera. If I lost it I would go out and buy another one without hesitastion.

The Dimage X is a stunning little package; anyone who sees it wants to pick it up, hold it, and play with it. The design and finish are first-rate. The size, though -- thats what this camera is all about. Its the first digicam to use an internal zoom mechanism, which allows the X to be ridiculously slim. Other cameras might have a slightly smaller "footprint" but the X wins where it counts -- it is so slim you forget its in your pocket. As a result it is very easy to keep with you at all times.

The Dimage X works very well in daily use. The most important convenience is its speed. Many other cameras simply take too long to turn on, or have very long wait times as they record an image. The little Minolta is among the swiftest of cameras in these regards. It also allows you to fire off several frames in rapid succession; it appears to allow around five pictures, then pauses to record them to memory. This is very handy when your trying to capture something elusive -- children, for example.

The Xs lithium-ion batteries give what I consider very long run-times before expiring. In comparison to another small digicam, the Kyocera S3, the Dimage X offers approximately double the battery life. It gives ridiculously long run times with the LCD display switched off; the cameras internal electronics seem very well designed and appear to operate very efficiently. The camera never feels hot to the touch (or even warm, for that matter); I noticed this was a problem with the Kyocera, which may account for its short run-times.

The only thing I dislike about the Dimage X is its image quality. To keep the zoom mechanism inside the camera required the use of a prism. This limits the camera from being as sharp, ultimately, as a conventional camera, and also leads to slightly less contrast and color saturation in the images.

To qualify this review I should admit to being a perfectionist who is reluctant to EVER compromise on image quality. In this case the size and packaging of this camera have won me over. With further refinement the Minolta Dimage X could approach perfection; as it stands its one great little camera that will accompany you everywhere.

First and foremost: Design. Oh my God, especially in Manhattan it is not easy to make people turn their heads, but when you elegantly pull the X out of your pocket, they will. Guaranteed. The aluminum and steel case is very sturdy. Only the little lens protector that moves up so boldly to protect the lens when you turn the camera off is a little flimsy. Also you have to get used to holding the camera a little differently with your left hand than you would naturally, or you will get in contact with the lens and block the picture.

Secondly, operation. Everything about this little thing is well thought out. Read the manual and you are in control in an hour or so. I only have some minor concerns about the ease of use. The position of the important enter button requires you to take your fingers of the scroll buttons or use both hands, which is rather awkward and makes navigating the menus a bit more cumbersome than necessary.

Thirdly, picture quality. Sorry professional reviewer guys. You really got this one wrong. Again, dear fellow non professional picture takers, read the manual and experiment a little bit. After maybe an hour of trying or so I was able to make perfectly sharp, nice pictures. If you use the zoom to reduce or enhance perspective and play a little with the exposure times, you can even get some dramatic photographic effects. So for me it is not only a little snap-shooter, but a camera that truly satisfies not only my photographic needs, but also the most hefty cravings for attention...at least for the next few months, until everybody will have one of those little sweet X fellows. Get it. Its good. ...

The second most amazing thing is even though the camera lens does not move, it *is* capable of 3X true *optical* zoom!! This is accomplished through an internal movable prism. Simply an ingenious piece of work! This means two things: fast zoom, and less distortion.

The camera is quite fast in saving images (max resolution is 1600x1200, just like the Canon S100) to the SD card. It takes about 1-1.5 seconds between pictures when flash is used and around 1 sec when flash is off.

Picture quality is *excellent*! One gripe I have about the S100 is the image quality is so so, especially in low-light conditions. The DiMage X easily ranks among the high-quality digital pictures. Images are sharp and color-rich. You can also make exposure compensation if you feel the picture is slightly over or under exposed.

This is one awesome camera! Its unique shape, extraordinary compactness and awesome picture quality make it simply the best consumer digital camera.